Surprise reason behind Curry-Durant spat

STEPH Curry has revealed that he fronted fellow ex-MVP and Golden State Warriors teammate Kevin Durant over a high-stakes act of disrespect in the NBA's sneaker wars.

Durant gave Curry's endorsement brand a major whack last month, telling the Bill Simmons Podcast: "Nobody wants to play in Under Armours."

Curry, who according to Forbes makes $US12 million ($15 million) a season from Under Armour, said he had spoken to Durant about the slight and made clear that he felt the Finals MVP - on the Nike books for about $US25 million per year - was wrong.

"I told him that he has a certain opinion based on his experience growing up in the Nike business," Curry told the Charlotte Observer.

"What that means when it comes to the competition among shoe brands and universities and the whole grassroots system and what not - he's entitled to that opinion obviously.

"But when it comes to what I'm trying to do with Under Armour, and what the Curry brand means and what Under Armour basketball means, that statement does not ring true at all.

"Where we were four years ago, and where we are now - you can't tell me nobody wants to wear our shoes. I know for a fact that they do."

Curry said the unusual flashpoint had not created any serious rift.

"I understand how what we do and the team that we are and the success we've had, no matter what anybody says it's going to be blowing up, especially when it's the opportunity to make it look (controversial)," he said.

"Like I said, it's nothing that's going to break up the locker room."

The precise terms of Curry's deal have not been revealed, though if Forbes' $US12 million a year figure is accurate, his contract from 2015 through to 2024 would amount to $US108 million, while he also owns company stock.

The sales performance of Durant and Curry's signature shoes have both fluctuated, yet Steph can boast perhaps the most staggering figure of all.

Morgan Stanley last year predicted that the point guard could be worth as much as $US14 billion to the Under Armour brand - after he was lost to Nike in an astonishingly poor pitch to retain his services, which featured a Durant twist when his name actually appeared instead of Curry's in a presentation slide.